Review Team

MostlyFiction.com is community of reviewers who voluntarily write about recent books that they have read and enjoyed.Â We love to read and to share our opinions and discoveries of literary gems and top-notch genre novels. Â Since 1998, we have posted over Â 2,800 reviews.

WE LOVE TO READ!.

This is our current team. Please click on a reviewer’s name to learn more about the reviewer and the books that they have covered for MostlyFiction — or you can just use the pull down menu for “Review Team” above:

When you read a book do you find yourself taking notes and marking passages? Â Do you get really excited when an author does something new and daring? Â Do you have a overwhelming need to tell everyone about the book you just read? Â And are you looking for an outlet for writing? Â If so, maybe you should consider writing reviews.Â If you love to read and want to let others know about a book you enjoyed then maybe this could be your thing.

As for me, I like to write reviews because it gives me a chance to think about the book a little longer after I’ve come to the last page. Maybe you’ll enjoy this benefit as well.

This sounds good, how do I start?

To be considered for MostlyFiction, you need to complete the INTERVIEW QUESTIONS below and submit a review, preferably one written for MostlyFiction and not previously published.

If your review is accepted it will be posted with your byline. If I like what you are doing, then I will forward new books to you for review and although I can’t pay you, you can keep the books. (At least it is a little perk.)

Guidelines for Book Review Submission:

Look around MostlyFiction to see if you think what you read will fit in & to see our style.

Answer the “interview questions.”

Write an “audition” review. The book you choose should generally fit into a MostlyFiction bookshelves.

The copy should be in .txt, .doc or .html (but don’t convert .doc to .html)

Include the book name and author, ISBN and book publisher and date.

Include a quote from the book separate from the text of the review.

Include your full name, the way you would want to see it in the byline.

If previously published, include info Â as to where the copy also appears — note, we would prefer Â you submit a review that has not been published before or if it was published that this is rewritten to meet MostlyFiction requirements.

Wait one day and re-read your review. Â We value the quality of writing as much as what you have to say. Â That said, the writing should not be show-offish or overly cutesy. Â Just plain old good writing that says what it needs to say in an unobtrusive and orderly way.

Send review by mail to jclark-@-mostlyfiction.com Â (leave out the hyphens!)

Starting off points for writing a review:

Briefly, what was the book about?

Is it more plot driven or character driven?

What did you think of the character development ?

Was the plot Â too complicated or too simplified?

Is the book part of a series and if so, can this be read as a stand-alone or does reader need to start at the beginning of the series?

Where is the location? Â Is setting key to the plot?

Should readers be warned? Â Are there overly explicit scenes and if so are they simply Â gratuitousÂ or central to the plot?

What themes are addressed?

Is the book based on real events or people?

How does the book compare to others the author has written?

What is the significance of the book title?

What is the structure of the book? Â Does the author use chapters to a purpose?

Is the story told from first person perspective or third person? Â Did the choice of perspective enhance the storyline?

Did you like the protaganist? Are all the characters fully developed? Â If not, did it matter to you?

Did the book or an aspect of the book remind you of any particular book that you read previously?

Is there a “back story” to this book — that is, in author interviews does he or she say how the book came about?

There is no one right way to write a book review. Book reviews are highly personal and reflect the opinions of the reviewer. It is our job to say enough so that others can judge for themselves.

A review can be as short as 400 words, or as long as 3000 words, with a typical length of 600-800 words.Â It’s more important to say what needs to be said than it is to count words.

Keep your audience in mind! This will help define the emphasis you put on various parts of the review. Â The MostlyFiction audience are readers who enjoy reading. Â They want to know a bit about the book and from your review they want to figure out for themselves if this is a book they too will enjoy.

Do not bother to write a primarily negative review. Â If you don’t like the book, move onto one that you do like. Â It is o.k. to not like a book 100%, and you should mention if there is something that you don’t like. Â That is helpful. Â It is not necessarily helpful to slam a book, even though sometimes it feels good.Reviewer “Interview Questions” for MostlyFiction:

Please answer these questions and submit with an “audition” book review:

1. What are the last three books that you read?

2. What types of books do you enjoy most?

3. Assuming you have a “TBR” pile, which three books do you plan to read next?

4. If you were given a gift certificate to buy any three new books, which would they be?

5. Do you have some favorite authors and who are they? (I realize this is an impossible question for avid book readers, so don’t stress too much over it)

6. Where do you live — once you are accepted as a reviewer then you will have the option to have books sent to you for review (or you can pick from your own stash).

7. How many reviews will want to write? (one a month, one every other month, one every other week, etc.) Most people can do 1, maybe 2, a month if they are working full time. If you haven’t actually written a review before, this might be hard to guess at, but you can say your intention. Promise I won’t hold you to it.

8. Is there a particular review that you’ve read on MostlyFiction.com that you liked and feel that’s what you would have said about the book?

9. What do you use for a computer? Is it reliable? Will you use MS Word, Mac Page or an equivalent for writing the reviews?

10. So now that you’ve made it through all these questions, which book do you propose to write your audition review on? (Note, please let us know if the “audition” book review has been published elsewhere or if it is available to be published on MostlyFiction.com).

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions and to submit your review.

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